Supplemental car-step.



J. B. GARDNER.

SUPPLEMENTAL UAR S'l'LP.

APPLICATION 'rmzn JULY 11 1914.

1 11 1?,86&, PatentedNdv.17,1914.

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J. B. GARDNER. SUPPLEMENTAL GAR STEP. APPLIOATLON FILED JULY 9,1914.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SIIBETS SHEET 2.

wi/l waooeo Snow/wow JOSEPH B. GARDNER, OF NORTH MGALESTER, OKLAHOMA.

SUPPLEMENTAL CAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1914;.

Application filed July 9, 1914. Serial No. 849,983.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J osnrn B. GARDNER, acitizen of the United States, residing at North McAlester, in the countyof Pittsburg and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Supplemental Car-Steps; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to improvements in supplemental car steps and moreparticularly to those having means for moving the same directly towardor away from the lowermost of the flight of steps to which they areapplied.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pressure projectedstep with a pressure operated catch whereby said catch will normallyoperate to retain the step in raised position but will be released bythe operation'of a valve to admit air into the cylinder employed forprojecting or lowering said step.

A secondary object of the invention is to locate said pressure operatedcatch in such a manner as to allow the same and its coacting parts to bereadily applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple structure forslidably supporting and operating the supplemental Ste l liith theseobjects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features ofconstruction and combination herein described and claimed and shown inthe drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of a por tion of a railway carshowing the application of my invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a rear sideelevation of one of the flights of steps and illustrating a sectionalview through the car platform; Fig. 3 1s a vertical transverse sectionon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, also showing cylinder in section; Fig. 4 is asimilar view on the line -il of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofone of the guides and the parts directly connected therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a portion of'a railway car orcoach C which is equipped with the usual platform 1 and flight of stepsS, the latter including the usual side boards B which are here shown asextending rearwardly from the steps proper, this provision being madefor a urpose to appear. tigidly secured to the rearwardly extendmg edgeor" one of the boards B is an inclined guide 1 which is here shown ofelongated rectangular formation and is provided with a rectangular bore2 opening at its lower end, with a longitudinal slot 3 which likewiseopens at its lower end, with a pair of attaching ears 4 through whichbolts 5 are passed to secure the device to the board B and with anopening 6 in one edge through which an inwardly projecting end 7 of anangular catch member 8 is adapted to slide, said member rising above theguide 1 and being integrally connected to a piston rod 9 whose inner endcarries a piston 10 which is located in a cylinder 11, the latter beinghere shown as provided with attaching feet 12 which are rigidly securedto the upper end of said guide member 1. As clearly shown in thedrawings, (see more particularly Fig. 3) a suitable coil spring 13 isprovided within the cylinder 11 for normally retracting the piston andthereby projecting the active end 7 of the catch 8.

Located on the rcarwardly extending portion of the remaining board B isa guide 1' which is provided with a longitudinal rectangular bore 2 andwith a slot 3, the bore and slot opening through its lower end. Theguide 1' is further provided with attaching cars 4 which are designedfor the same purpose as the ears 4 previously described.

Slidably mounted within the guides L and 1 is a pair of inclined guidearms 14: and 14-, the arm ll being located in the guide 1 while the arm11 is disposed in the guide 1.

As most clearly seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the arms 14 and 11 areprovided with enlarged rectangular portions 15 and 15 which slidablyengage the walls of the bores 2 and 2'.

The enlarged portion 15 of the arm 14 is provided in one edge, with anotch 16 which is located near its upper end, the corner of said portion15, directly above said notch, bring rounded as at 17 for engagementwith the extreme inner end of the active portion 7 of the catch 8,whereby said catch will be retracted against the tension of its springwhen said arm 1-1 is raised, thereby allowing said spring to force theactive end 7 of said catch 8 into said notch 16 to retain said arm inraised position.

The arms 14 and 14 are provided with horizontally extending lower endportions 18 to which the opposite ends of a supple'-' mental step19aresecured, said step lying directly beneath the lowermost of theflight S. Said arms are further connected, near' their npper ends', bya-bar 20 which is rigidly "secured thereto and which slideslooselywithin the slots-3:-and;3'-,- apiston,

rod 21 being secured to said bar 20 and carrying a piston 22 upon itsupper end, the

7 as the ordinary train pipev (not shown), is

ressure supply pipe 25' whichdischarges into the cylinder 11 in rear ofits piston 10,

' while'a second -presure supply pipe 26 extends from tlieintermediateportion of said flight of steps, ofQa supplementalstep cylinder 11 tothe upper endof the cylinder 23,.thispositioning: and arrangement ofparts-causing the piston 10 to'he projected for/the purpose ofretracting the catch 8,

when the'pressure is allowed to pass through the pipe 25 by the.operation of a valve (not shown), this movement'on the part of the Ipiston 10 allowing theadjacent ends of the pipes 25 and 26toicornmunicate, thus allowing the pressure to now through thecylinder'll'and the pipe 26 intothe upper cndof the cylinder :23 atwhich pointit willact ,to I force the piston 22downwa'rdly against thetension of the spring '24, thereby through the provisionoftheop'e'rating barz20' andthe arms 14: and 14", lowering or projectingthe step.

will" remain in lowered position. ii hen, however, the valve is closed,the tension of Y is agaiirengaged with-the notch 16 'by% its spring 13.ltmay here be explained, that during the upward movementot the piston22,-.the air in the cylinders and 11 will will be seen thatl haveproduced an err-- tremoly simple device of the character set qtforth,yet-onewhich will be highlyeflicient out the objects oi the invention. 1

Particular emphasis-1s laid uponthe proin operation and which willreadilyrcarry vision of the pressure operated catch in-conmental step, apressure supply pipe gfor said long as :the above-mentioned valveremains open, 1t will bevseen'that the-step inder. The

nection with the cylinder and piston for proecting the supplemental.step, SlDCG,l35 this;

" arrangementof parts, itwill be seen that said step is positively heldin retracted position until it is desired to lower the same upon whichaction the catch is first released after which pressure is exerted insaid cylinder to lower the step.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination. withthe lowermost of 'plemental. step, a a l eeper"operable with said said catch when the step is:raised pressure operatedmeans forlower ng said supplecatch niec 11I1lS1I1, LI1Cl a similain pipecontinuing" therefrom to sa d pressureoperated 2. The comhination w-iththe-lowermost of mounted beneath the same tom Y6; toward and awaytherefrom, a pressure released mat-oh mechanism mounted abovesaidsupplernental; step; a keeper. operable with said supplemental step andadapted tO I6 C,Q1Vev' said'catchwhen the step is raised-,a cylindercylinder. 1 v

Tfhe combination with the lowermost of a :llight of steps, of a;supplementalstep mov- --able toward and away ,lhGIBfIlQIIL-thkeeperoperable with;"saidqsupplemental step, a

r catch coactinei with: saidkeeper/for secura ing thestep in raisedposition, said catch having anoperating piston, a cylinder receiving thesame, a; cylinder and piston for lowering the supplemental step, apressure supply pipe leading to the, catch operating cylinder, and-asimilar pipe leadingtherefrom to the'step operatin cyl nder. V

4. lhe combination wit the lowermost of waflight of stepsmf asupplemental step movable toward and vawaytherefrom, a keeper operablewith. said supplemental step, a be forced through the pipes26 and 25 tothe cylinder endnpiston-jlor lowering the su pleniental step, theflatter beinggnorinal y raised, a pressure supply pipe lea-ding tort-hea-catchi operating cylinder," and, a sim lar pipe leading therefrom. tothe step projectin cyl-ucomhinationwith a. flight of steps, of an.inclinede guide secured adjacent the same, a guide arm slidable in saidguide and having a shoulder,-. a supplemental step 'se-i. cared to thelower end: of said arm and lying supplemental stepand-adapted:tQ-receive beneath the lowermost of said flight of steps, a cylinderand piston for lowering said supplemental step, the same being normallyraised, a catch operating cylinder, a normally projected catch coactingwith said shoulder for retaining the step in raised positi0n,-said catchhaving a retracting piston located in said catch operating cylinder, apressure supply pipe leading to the last mentioned cylinder, and asimilar pipe leading therefrom to the step operating cylinder.

6. The combination with a flight of steps and a supplemental stepbeneath the lowermost thereof, of an inclined guide adjacent saidflight, a guide arm slidable in said guide and attached to saidsupplemental step, said arm having a rounded nose, an angular catchenacting with said nose for retaining the step in raised position, apiston on said catch, a cylinder receiving said piston and mounted onsaid guide, a spring for projecting said catch and a pressure supplypipe to said cylinder.

7. The combination with a flight of steps and a supplemental stepbeneath the same,

of an inclined guide secured adjacent said flight and having a boreopening through its lower end and a slot opening into said bore, a guidearm slidable in said bore and having a rounded nose on its upper end, anangular catch member slidin through an aperture in one side of the guideand coacting with said nose for retaining said arm in raised position,its lower end being secured to said supplemental step, a cylindermounted on the upper end of said guide, a piston therein and having aconnection with said angular catch member, a spring for projecting thelatter, a pressure supply pipe for said cylinder, an operating barsecured to said arm and projecting through said slot and means connectedto said bar for lowering said supplemental step.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH B. GARDNER. Witnesses:

L. C. HARRISON, JOSEPH SCHNEIDER.

